CENTERVILLE HIGH FOOTBALL PLAYER TESTS POSITIVE

Elks’ freshman team suspends training after learning of the result.

Local public health officials are working with Centerville City Schools after a high school football player tested positive for COVID-19, officials said Monday.

A freshman who tested positive for the coronavirus prompted that player’s team to suspend skills training after the district was made aware of results Friday, according to the Sarah Swan, a spokeswoman for the school district.

Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery

County Spokesman Dan Suffoletto said “we work to identify the close contacts of the sick individual ... but I can’t characterize who those contacts are.”

The player is a member of the freshman team and participated in voluntary skills training with only that team, Swan said in an email.

“We immediately notified all of the families and coaches that may have been affected so they could take additional precautions,” according to Swan. “In addition, that particular team will discontinue skills training until all necessary contact tracing and/or self-isolation has been completed.”

Those ages 0-19 constitute less than 9% percent of the positive cases recorded by Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County through Sunday, preliminary records show.

The 20-29 age group makes up 17.2% percent of those cases while the 30-39 age category is the highest single group at 18.7%, according to public health records.

Centerville school district officials have sanitized the facility space used by the freshmen team and are working with public health officials on future steps, Swan said.

“Because this team has not trained with any others, we are allowing our other teams to continue with conditioning and practices,” Swan said.

Skills training resumed at Centerville High School on June 1, with coaches and athletes following guidelines and recommendations from the Ohio Department of Health and Ohio High School Athletic Association, according to Swan.

This includes social distancing, avoiding physical contact with others, having sanitation stations available at each skills training session, and cleaning and sanitizing equipment and facilities.

In addition, all coaches and athletes check in to skills training sessions electronically and complete a daily assessment of symptoms related to COVID-19, according to Swan.

Contact this reporter at 937-225-2166 or email Nick. Blizzard@coxinc.com.